Van drivers warned over repair costs
Van drivers in city areas risk expensive repairs if their van is fitted with eco-friendly technology, a used vehicle expert has warned.
CAP, a pricing service for used vans, says vans fitted with a diesel particulate filter could face costly repairs if the van is only used for short journeys.
The diesel particulate filter is designed to capture particulates - a particular type of pollution from a diesel engine - instead of allowing the van to emit them.
This reduces air pollution from diesel vans, but CAP has warned they could easily become clogged if the van is only driven for short distances.
John Watts explained: "Many diesel particulate filters require specific drive cycles in order to remain working efficiently. These filters need to reach a certain operating temperature before effectively reducing particulate emissions, but if this is not achieved they can become prone to clogging."
As slow speeds, warns Watts, the filter till not reach the required temperature to avoid being clogged up.
Van buyers are being warned to consider the inclusion of a diesel particulate filter when they are buying a van for city driving. However, since diesel particulate filters are compulsory under new Euro 5 emissions regulations, the problem is not entirely avoidable.
Drivers of vans are advised to drive the van at speed for a minimum time period to burn off carbon particles and avoid repair costs.
However, a new generation of vans in the UK could make the problem obsolete. The new Renault Kangoo ZE is an all electric van designed for city driving.
Powered purely by electricity, the Renault Kangoo ZE van is capable of travelling 100 miles on a single charge and emits zero particulates.
The Renault Kangoo ZE van will face competition from the Ford Transit Connect Electric when it arrives early in 2013.